How Native thinking will help the world survive and thrive in a changing environment.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Think Indian public service advertisement campaign launches

The Fund is rolling out a new public service announcement campaign titled THINK INDIAN. The campaign tells the story of how America’s 32 accredited tribal colleges and American Indian students are combining traditional Native solutions with modern knowledge to solve contemporary problems.

Tribal colleges and universities preserve the uniquely American Indian way of thinking while celebrating Indian cultures and embracing the latest research and technology. These institutions have become cultural oases where old wisdom and new ideas are fused. Many Native students encounter both their native language and the Internet for the first time at college.

To create the campaign, the Fund and our Portland, Oregon-based advertising partner, Wieden+Kennedy, voted Adweek’s 2008 Global Agency of the Year and known for its signature work for Nike, Target, and Coca-Cola, traveled to Indian Country where we documented the stories of American Indian students studying at tribal colleges.

This body of work not only reflects how American Indian cultural knowledge is being preserved by tribal colleges and used to solve modern-day problems for all people, but it also depicts the depth, beauty, and tenacity inherent in the American Indian students and community that we serve.

The ads have already been run by our supporting partner publications, including The New York Times Magazine, Harper's, and O.

Wieden+Kennedy has created the Fund’s advertising for the past 18 years on a pro bono basis. We are deeply grateful for their longstanding commitment to American Indian education and the Fund and the invaluable contributions they make with helping us to reach our donors through these compelling and moving ads.

1 comment:

Amy from VA
said...

I love this campaign. The graphics are eye-catching, beautiful and inspiring. I always read the text to learn more about the featured students. This ad campaign has inspired me to make a donation. Great work!

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Hau. Mitaku Oyapi

Hello, all my relatives. This is the Lakota greeting for all people. It is our philosophy that in this world we are all related. The plants, animals, humans and all things share a spirit. It is also our philosophy that in this world we must help each other to survive and grow.

This blog chronicles my journeys and discoveries as I travel on behalf of the American Indian College Fund, working towards helping all of my relatives learn and grow. I will relay the excitement of our students, their struggles and successes, and the successes of our tribal colleges in this journal.

I invite you to share your own stories of learning and growth with me, using the comment tool, including your ideas and journeys of discovery in Indian education.

In a good way,

Richard B. "Rick" Williams

About Me

Since October 1997, Mr. Williams has served as President & CEO of the American Indian College Fund. A member of the Oglala Lakota Tribe, Mr. Williams is a leader, educator, advocate and historian. In 2007, Williams received a Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, from Roger Williams University. In 2005 he was named the Educator of the Year from the National Indian Education Association, the largest and oldest national Indian education organization.